Voyager in a Storm
by Zelda FaNaTiKaH
Summary: 13 years have passed since Sozin's Comet, rebelious Firebenders are planning to take over the Earth Kingdom.The Avatar and the Firelord must protect the peace they fought so hard to conquer, not letting their feelings for the same woman get in the way...
1. Prologue

He opened his eyes slowly, blinking, as the warm hand reached his burnt skin

My first attempt at a Zutara fic, please tell me what you think, k?

Disclaimer: Avatar the Last Airbender belongs to Bryke, not to me** (me: I wouldn't have ended it that way!!)**

**Voyager in a Storm**

**-Prologue-**

He opened his eyes slowly, blinking, as the warm hand reached his burnt skin, her dark eyes warming as they met his. The moon's light filled the room playing on her ivory skin, contrasting with her black hair.

The pain that tore through his chest made him shut his eyes. It was all a dream. Of course it was all a dream. She wasn't there. He didn't open his eyes for sometime, scared of not finding her by his side. As the warmth of her hand caressed his scar once again, then moving to the back of his head, he felt the moist forming in his eyes.

She was really there.

Yet, he knew she wasn't. Even as he opened his eyes and met her dark gaze again. Even as he reached for the soft skin of her face, resting his thumb on her lips, making her smile. She was smiling to him. A rare event. It lightened her face making her more beautiful than he remembered.

The tears were now escaping his scarred eye. As much as he was trying not to, he couldn't help but cry. He tentatively moved his left arm around her waist, as to secure her. He wasn't going to let her go again. He would keep her there, lying in bed, next to him, where she was supposed to be.

Her white fingers reached for his hair as she moved closer to him. He could now smell the sweet scent that he knew so well. Inhaling deeply as he embraced her body, he thought when was the last time he had looked into those eyes. He had missed her. For ten years he had missed her. He had never thought about the possibility of missing someone with the same intensity as he had missed his mother.

But he missed her.

He missed everything about her. Her quiet eyes, her pale, soft skin that blushed under his touch. Her long silky hair, the way that her fringe clouded her eyes when she was worried about something. The way she moved when she walked, shoulders high and daring. Her knife throwing. The way she looked beautiful when she smiled, just like moments ago, even though it wasn't often. The way she kissed him. The way they loved each other. The way she had wanted the baby.

He kissed her throat softly, not letting go from the embrace. He wanted to be like that forever. He felt her arms snaking around him, electrifying the back of his torso. He gently kissed her throat again, kissing his way to her soft lips. She was really there. She kissed him just like she had done ten years ago. Smoothly, tentatively at first, then more and more passionately. Their lips moved together in perfect synchrony. The way her hand would caress his back. It was everything as he remembered.

When they broke the kiss, he kissed the tip of her nose. His heart ached for her. He started to become aware of the feeling of dread and loss that was taking over him. His tears continued to run down his face, watering his pillow as he slowly opened his eyes again, wondering if she would be gone, even when he could still feel her breath and her warmth under his touch.

She was still smiling at him, her long nails still caressing his back.

He pulled her closely, touching her forehead to his own. "Is this real?" he asked her.

He could feel he was trembling, his mouth had gone dry. The pit of his stomach tightened, as he waited for her answer, though he knew it already.

"It is as real as you want it to be." She answered. Her monotone voice making it hard for him to suppress laughter, taking some of his nervousness away. How he had missed that voice.

It would never be as real as he wanted it to be. Not anymore. He tried to keep himself from blinking, as if each sight of her could be the last.

"I love you…" she told him. His grip on her tightened. Why did she have to go? He embraced her fiercely again, trying to hold her presence in the darkened room. He had been without her for too long. She embraced him back with the same force, kissing his bare shoulder.

That's when the terrible sound filled the room. The sound that would had been different if it had come from the person he was holding. A rush of electricity ran through his skin. He could feel the pain. The pain of lighting burning his skin right where it had hit him over thirteen years ago. A shiver ran down his spine as he held on to his wife tighter. Her face, he couldn't remember seeing it that way before, was of complete panic. Her eyes fixed on one corner of the room.

He quickly looked at the figure that stood by their bed. Panic rushing though him as he realized why his wife was scared. In the hands of the woman, a small bundle was crying. She ran her sharp nails caressing the baby's forehead, as if considering what she would do next.

"How sweet… a family reunion! I thought I should bring you the little one, too, so I can finish him first, and you can suffer even more before you die!" said the cruel voice, laughing again. "Or…" she continued, her hateful golden eyes fixing his "I could just raise him as my successor… but not without giving him a nice little scar to remind me who he truly is."

His wife tried to fight herself from his grip. He was unable to let her go, he was unable to move, he was unable to think. His heart tightened in his chest. Hate growing in him.

His wife's desperate scream filled his ears. "Zuko, do something!" was the croak that hardly resembled her voice. "Don't let her hurt him!"

He could hear the sound of the lighting forming in the madwoman's hand. But he couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. The lightning was making his way towards them, and it was too late for him to backfire.

"No!" he heard his own voice as he woke up in a rush.

He quickly looked at the corner where his sister had stood, holding his baby son. She had vanished. He tried to steady his breathing, as he ran his arm through his forehead. He could still feel the moist in his eyes, and as he ran his hand though the linen on his bed it was wet with sweat. He lifted his hand, touching the markings of the scar on his bare chest. He still remembered the pain, but didn't regret it. Katara would have never survived if he hadn't jumped and saved her, and he wouldn't bear losing his friends to Azula.

It wasn't the first time he had had nightmares about his sister. They were often. Even when she was locked up and mad, she would always haunt his dreams. She would always hurt one of his friends. She would always transform the sweetest of dreams into a disaster, and he would always wake up in the early morning, screaming, and dripping in sweat.

He had never been scared of Azula. And he would never be scared of Azula for himself. But after he had promised his wife, in her deathbed, that he wouldn't let any harm come to their son, he had started fearing the monster inside his sister. The pain of loosing Mai in childbirth, of not being able to raise their child together. The pain that had caused him, made him treasure life more than he had before. After he had found his mother again, and Mai got pregnant, they couldn't be happier. And then the labour complications took her away from him. And from their son.

Zuko ran his fingers though his hair while he threw the covers to one side of the bed. Looking at the rising sun, he stood up and walked slowly to the bathroom. He wanted to be up early today, after all, he was going to meet some old friends after a long time…

--

--

-

Soo… there's the Prologue

Hope everyone enjoyed it, so please review and let me know what you think!

I didn't really enjoy writing the whole Zuko crying over Mai thing, though… but if this really happened, he would suffer, wouldn't he?

Pleasee Review, and Thanks for reading,

Zelda Fanatikah


	2. Dangerous Times

_Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs to Bryan and Mike, and not to me... sadly..._

_Thank you reviewers for making last week the best _

**Voyager in a Storm**

**-Chapter 1: Dangerous Times-**

**I**

He made his way to the deck of the ship slowly, the first rays of sunlight shinning on his face. He inhaled deeply, the scent of salty water filling his nostrils, as he closed his eyes.

It had certainly been a long time. Thirteen years... or so he thought. He never really thought he would miss the Fire Nation. Not that he _missed _the Fire Nation, what he missed where the times they had had to hide themselves in Fire Nation clothes so the firebenders wouldn't figure out who they where. Times when they would just fly around in Appa, travelling around the world meeting new people, helping some of them along the way. Times when their every breath screamed adventure. Times that where long gone.

Thirteen years had passed in seconds...

Not that he missed having to hide. No, never! But he did miss just hanging around with his friends, the only reason to worry being the war.

If that wasn't reason enough...

He sighed, smiling slighty. Of course he missed the thrill of the adventure. He was born a warrior. And before they met Aang and journeyed around the world he could only imagine what it would be like to fight. To fight for their freedom and for their people. He had never felt the satisfaction of victory. He still remembered they had thought everything would be okay after the comet.

They should have known better.

And he should have missed something else, instead of missing those times. Now they were in a similar situation and he knew he would give anything to take his wish back. But that was so him, missing something he shouldn't be missing. The old times, as Zuko would say.

As the waves crashed around the boat and the wind blew harder, making the loose fabric of his tunic move, his stomach growled making him laugh. Oh, he was finally going to eat Fire Nation meat again.

He shook his head as he caught himself thinking about food. Katara was right, he hadn't changed a thing. He was still the same, even after all the things they had gone through in the war. The life-threatning situations, having to leave the comfort of their home... even after he settled down and got married...

Even after becoming a parent.

He could honestly say he had become the happiest man on earth when he got married to Suki. But he had never imagined the intensity of what he felt for his children, not in his wildest dreams. It was as if a new range of emotions opened up inside him. The moment he had first seen them, he knew, that he would give his own life just to see them happy.

He turned around as he heard footsteps.

She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her short dark auburn hair, the same colour as Suki's dangled in the wind contrasting with her fair skin as she walked towards him. She resembled her mother too much, the same exception being her bright blue eyes she'd inherited from him. Her hair loops, which she copied from his sister, danced along with the soft breeze.

As he studied the girl's expression, he realized she still had the same annoyed look she'd had when she first heard they were stopping at the Fire Nation before continuing to the Earth Kingdom.

"Hey morning flower, how did you sleep?" he asked her, smiling and pinching her cheek lightly.

She raised an eyebrow irritatingly and turned his back on him.

He scratched his head. She was young, she didn't understand the serious matters they had to sort out with the firelord. But he hated seeing her like that...

"Hey, morning flower... I'm talking to you" he teased her, tickling her as he did so.

She laughed.

He knew she would, she could never remain serious when tickled. It was his secret way of breaking her out of her tantrums.

"Okay, okay, I've stopped being annoying!" she said, still laughing, trying to stop him. "Daddy!"

"Then, tell me, morning flower... is this really all about Aang?" he asked her, trying to keep his mocking tone from showing. His daughter had had a crush on the Avatar since she had first opened her sapphire-like eyes. The nine-year old followed Aang around everywhere, more than she followed her father.

"What do you think, dad?" she asked him as she stopped laughing, and spoke to him as if the reason for her mood was obvious "A week ago, I'm the happiest person in the world after you tell me I'm gonna finally see Aang again, and now you tell me you're sorry, but we have to go to the Fire Nation first..." she continued, looking annoyed again and throwing her arms up in the air in exasperation.

That was going too far. But he couldn't help but find his daughter's crush on his friend cute.

"I've told you, morning flower, we have something to discuss with the Firelord... I promise you it won't be long and we will be out of the Fire Nation in no time... besides" he said, grinning at her "It's been a long time since you were here... things change a lot in three years, I'm sure you'll like it, it'll be fun"

"Oh, it will be really fun!" she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes at her father "Oh! So _that's _why uncle Zuko is always visiting the Earth Kingdom, and the Southern Water Tribe, and everywhere else... because the Fire Nation is _fun_!" she continued touching her cheek with her index finger as if she had just figured something out.

"But you haven't seen uncle Zuko recently, have you?" he asked her.

Of course she hadn't. Ever since the rebel firebenders started gathering in the outskirts of the major cities of the Earth Kingdom, Zuko had been stuck in the Fire Nation holding it together. He couldn't risk leaving.

He sighed again.

He just hoped things wouldn't end like they did last time a war broke. Smilling at his daughter, who was still giving him her unhappy look, he just hoped, for the sake of his friends and his family, that they would be able to handle things in peace.

"Come on, morning flower... you know Daddy doesn't like to do things that will annoy you... I promise you the Fire Nation will be fun this time! Besides, don't you want to see your friend, what is it you call him? Oh! The flamethrower... don't you want to see him again?" he asked her, hopefully.

She looked at him as if he had just asked her to choose between her bending or her fans, then sighed.

"Sure dad, whatever... as long as you keep your promise and we continue to the Earth Kingdom soon... the flamethrower is fun, but he is not Aang" she told him, pouting.

Yes, he would keep his promise. They couldn't afford to waste time they didn't have.

As they heard the engines of the war balloons approaching their ship, his daughter's arms embraced his waist cautiously. She would change her mind as soon as she saw her friend, he knew it.

While his daughter had been greatly displeased with their emergency stop in the Fire Nation, his son had been more than happy. He loved their culture, and was always keen to learn more about them. He had been asking Sokka to visit the Fire Nation for a long time, but he had just managed to keep his son from asking too many questions about why they couldn't. He didn't want his children preocupied with the war more than they already were.

"Wow! That's amazing dad! I know I always say that, but they are... that's kind of not fair, they are way better than our submarines! Why is it the Fire Nation gets the best things?" said the boy who had just joined them, leaning over the deck to take a closer look on the giant aircraft. "Do we get to ride on those this time?" he asked, expectantly.

"Well... this time you actually do... That's what's taking us to the capital city!" he told his son, smiling broadly "Where is your mother? I'm sure someone will take care of our ship from now on, we must get going..."

The boy smiled back, excitement lighting up his face, before he rushed back inside the cabin to fetch his mother.

While his daughter resembled Suki in almost everything, his son was his spitting image. Well, Katara always mentioned that. He had the same playful spirit painted in his blue eyes; the same grin always playing on his face; the same sense of humor. Though he did take care of his sister, and not the other way around. Sokka had to give Katara credit for that, she was the one who had always looked after him.

"Dad... you know I'm not so good with heights..." the girl told him as she closed her fingers on the fabric of his clothes tighter.

"What are you talking about, morning flower? You love playing with Appa!" he told her, freeing himself from her grasp and making his way to help the young man who was trying to dock the war balloon to the ship.

"Well... that's because Aang is always playing with me and Appa..." she told him, matter-of-factly, as she embraced herself trying to keep warm, a terrified look on her face.

"Now, now, Tajah... you know there's nothing to worry about, sweety..." said the woman now snuggling around the child. "You know it's perfectly safe. We would never put you and your brother in danger."

Suki always knew the right time to burst in. She looked more beautiful every time he saw her. She kissed her daughter's forehead before smiling sweetly towards him, her engagement necklace shinning in the sun, and her razor fans carefully tied around her waist.

"Come on Tajah! Stop being a crybaby... I've always wanted to try those!" his son started again, agitatedly.

He could still hear him telling Tajah how it would be great finally flying on the war balloons and how it wouldn't be any different from flying on Appa, as he realized who the young man who had just come to greet them was.

He had certainly grown quite a bit after the last time he had seen him, the last he had been to the Fire Nation, three years ago. But Sokka still recongnised the face of the baby Katara had once cared for so long ago in Omashu...

"Hello Sokka, welcome back to the Fire Nation!" said Tom-Tom grinning, as he shook his hand and stood aside to make way for his family to climb into the vessel.

--

--

**II**

He tried to ignore the headache that had been hammering since he had woken up. He could hear the boy's voice coming as he questioned his father about the mechanincs of the war balloons. Turned out the boy didn't only look like Sokka, he acted and he cared about all the stuff Sokka did, too. He wondered if his son resembled him at least in that way. In looks he was all Mai.

He patted his royal garment as he heard their footsteps getting closer, moments before the door opened, Tom-Tom leading the family into the throne room.

They hadn't changed much. Sokka still had the same playful smirk on his face. He had married, he was a parent now, but he still didn't look responsible. Suki did look like a mother, but only since she was holding her trembling daughter as she walked. The small dark-auburn haired girl let go of her mother's waist as soon as she laid her eyes upon him.

She ran quickly towards him, her brother on her heels, happiness lighting both of their faces. As the children's arms clasped around him, he couldn't help but smile. Whereas their parents hadn't changed, they had certainly grown since the last time he had seen them, the last time he's been to the Southern Water Tribe. The boy was almost as tall as his son, maybe only an inch or half shorter.

"It's soo good to see you uncle Zuko!" the girl squeeled, before gently letting go of him. "At least there's a good thing after the war balloon disaster..." she said shrugging.

"Oh, come on Tajah! Don't mind her uncle Zuko, she isn't very good with heights... the war balloon is the coolest thing I've ever seen " the boy told him while scratching the back of his head.

_Uncle_ Zuko. He would never get used to being called that. It seemed his generation was getting old... uncle Zuko, uncle Aang, uncle Sokka, aunt Suki, aunt Toph and aunt Katara.

He raised his good eyebrow before responding "I'm sorry Tajah, I wouldn't have sent the war balloon if I knew that... but everytime I see you you're playing with Appa... what happened to make you scared of heights now?" he asked her wonderingly.

"Oh... that's because I'm always with Aang when I'm playing with Appa..." she told him while nodding her head and holding the edges of her blue water tribe tunic, a pink flush appearing on her cheeks.

So she still claimed she was going to marry the Avatar...

"Tajah, uncle Aang is too old for you..." her brother told her, and than as if a light bulb had been turned on his head "You know, I just had an idea, why don't you marry the flamethrower instead..." he said, a devious smirk playing on his face.

He was sure for a second she would hit her brother. She caught her breath. Her face had become tomato red, her jaw clenched and she was glaring at him in the most dangerous way he had ever seen. But before she could retort, Sokka and Suki arrived to greet him.

"Hey, hey, Kano... what's that I hear? You know, we may be in peace with the firebenders, but it doesn't mean I want your sister married to one of them..." Sokka told him playfully touching his daughter's shoulder, then turning towards him "Zuko, it's been a long time..." he said before hugging him briefly.

"What's that your teaching my children, Sokka? You can marry whoever you wish, sweetheart, as long as it's in ten years from now..." Suki said smiling "It's been too long, Zuko" she hugged him, too.

"It certainly has..." he told both of them, smiling slightly.

He had always kept in touch with his friends after the comet. They would always reunite in Ba Sing Se in his uncle's teashop, or he would occasionally go to the Souther Water Tribe, or the Air Temples... but ever since the rebells had started gathering in the borders of the Earth Kingdom, their lives had been flooded with the tension of a coming war once again.

He shuddered at that thought. He could only hope it wouldn't come to that.

"So, I see you are still going to marry Aang... have you told your plans to your aunt, Tajah?" he asked the girl, patting her head as she calmed down after her brother's comments.

"Aang and Katara aren't together anymore..." Suki told him rubbing her arm and bitting her lower lip.

"Oh..." was the only thing he could say.

Surprising news.

He felt horrible for Aang. He knew how much in love with the waterbender he had always been, and he remembered the suffering he had gone through the first time Katara had broke them apart.

When he first joined their group, he had thought Katara's feelings for Aang had been of an older sister towards a younger brother. But things had changed when they had seen them together. He couldn't imagine Aang or Katara being with anyone else but each other, so he hadn't been surprised when they got back together.

They would probably be together again in a short time, so he wasn't going to think about that much...

"Uncle Zuko, where is the flamethrower?" the girl asked him, looking around the room "Shouldn't he be here to greet us?"

" I believe the _flamethrower_ is in the garden... flamethrowing..." he told her. As soon as the word garden was out of his mouth the girl was already storming out of the throne room. She reminded him of Toph sometimes, especially when using her nicknames.

"I'll go with her... make sure she doesn't hurt herself..." shouted her brother as he followed her out.

As the boy's last steps echoed out of the room, he noticed Tom-Tom shifting on his stance, blowing his fringe from his eyes. Zuko knew him well. He had been living in the palace for five years, and he could easily tell what the fringe blowing meant. He was worried about something. Maybe something had happened and he hadn't mentioned in front of the children. His stomach tightened. He could only think of his uncle.

"What's wrong, Tom-Tom?" he asked him, locking eyes with the teenager's.

"Haru should have arrived with news from the Earth Kingdom by now... It isn't like him to be late... what if...?" he started while staring at the floor.

"It's fine Tom-Tom... I'm sure he's just behind schedule... your parents are fine." he told him, knowing what was worriyng him "Could you go check if he arrived now?"

He nodded once and made his way out of the throne room. Zuko forced himself to shake the thoughts of a possible invasion to the back of his head. It wouldn't help worrying before they knew what really had happened. He motioned with his head for Sokka and Suki to follow him into a small opening to the right of the throne. As they entered the small dark room, the candle light playing on their faces, he could see both of them looked very serious.

He sat on his chair right at the middle of the table with both of them sitting in front of him. Zuko felt a shiver running down his spine. He didn't remember ever seeing Sokka so serious, not even when they had gone to the Boiling Rock. The previous smirk that had been on his face just minutes earlier had been replaced with a frown. Suki looked at the table crossing her fingers and resting her elbows on the wooden surface.

"Before you say anything just let me say I completely agree with you on the matters you wrote on you last letter... I don't think you should leave the Fire Nation in a time like this... Aang will have our help, we can handle the Earth Kingdom without you... you have to be here, to keep the Fire Nation whole" the Kyoshi Warrior told him.

He nodded briefly. He had thought maybe they would object him staying there, and though he was ready to make them understand it was the right thing to do, he was glad he didn't have to waste time on the matter.

At least he wouldn't have to convince Suki...

"What about you? Are you okay with this?" he asked Sokka. The warrior held Suki's wrist and gently caressed it with his thumb taking his wife's words into account, then finally concluded "Yeah, sure... it would be great to have you with us, but there's no way you can leave the Fire Nation now, it would be leaving it to rot in the hands of the rebels..."

"That's settled then..." he said, nodding again and closing his eyes.

He had fought so hard to regain the honour of his nation, and now he felt like the power to hold it all together was slipping right through his fingers. The blood was pulsing in his head, the headache becoming worse for the second. He opened his eyes again, breathing deeply. He wouldn't let that happen.

"Have you heard from the Kyoshi Warriors?" he asked Suki, but regretted as soon as he uttered the last word. Suki's midnight blu eyes teared at the name.

"We haven't heard from them for sometime now..." it was Sokka who answered, his hand patting gently Suki's back as she swallowed and tried not to cry.

"I'm sorry..." the firelord said looking at her "I'm sure it's just a communication problem... and what about Aang, Toph and Katara?" he asked Sokka, who smiled at his friends' names.

They are alright. It was as if a huge weight had been taken of of his shoulders. As long as they were alright, as long as they remained together, they were unbeatable.

"Oh, we have heard from them... Toph has built us impenetrable underground headquarters... she calls it 'The Under'... she's the only one who allows people in or out... they haven't told us where it is, in case the messenger hawk fell on the wrong hands... Aang and Katara will meet us as soon as we get to Omashu so they can guide us there... we are guessing it's made of metal, since Toph's the only one who's able to bend it" he told him, pride for the earthbender glowing on his face.

Toph and her amazing ideas.

"That's good" he said nodding "Now we only have to wait for news form Ba Sing Se... as long as the rebels haven't striked yet, we have time"

He only hoped the hadn't...

--

--

**III**

Sweat was dripping down his forehead on to his neckline. He raised an eyebrow as he looked at what he had just done.

His father was going to kill him. He should have payed more attention to the direction he was shooting fire. Well, it was too late now, he would just have to go up to his father and tell him he had evaporated half of his precious pond.

It could have been worse though. If he had accidentally killed the turtle ducks that lived in the pond, his father _and _his grandmother would never forgive him_._ And he would never forgive himself. He loved feeding the little ducklings.

But he had his doubts... maybe his father wouldn't even notice.

He had never seen the Firelord so tense in his eleven years... it was true he was always tense, but the past year had been critical. He knew that rebels had been gathering around the Earth Kingdom in order to overthrow the Earth King once again, but was the situation really that worrying? He had been trapped inside the Fire Nation walls ever since that piece of information had reached his father's ears.

Sokka and Suki were coming for a visit, and were bringing their children with them. At least he would have some quality time with his friends after a year apart. He would rather have gone to the Southern Water Tribe, instead of them coming to the Fire Nation, at least he would get out of his cage. But at least they were coming.

He missed them. There was not a single person his age in the palace, the closest being his uncle Tom-Tom, who was fifteen. But recently Tom-Tom wasn't great company, since he was as tense as his father. Maybe the situation was that serious, afterall, and Zuko hadn't told him in an attempt not no worry him.

He shrugged. He was probably just anxious with his friends' arrival. He was sure it wasn't that bad, or his father would have already gone to the Earth Kingdom to fight along the Avatar.

He ran his fingers through his jet black hair fixing his golden eyes on the part of the garden that he had failed to burn. At least it had been only the pond. He would try to convince Kano and Tajah to fill it for him before his father could notice. He heard the girl's footsteps before he could see her. She would try to sneak on him like she always did.

He quickly ran behind the tree that rested on the surface of the pond, getting the hems of his old brownish training pants wet. He should have been wearing his royal garment to welcome Sokka's family, or at least that was protocol. But if he got to beat Tajah in a mockfight, who cared about protocol, even if he had already beat both siblings together so many times.

His father always told him he could move as fast as his mother, and if he practiced as she had he would surely have a great aim. But he had never had patience for knife-throwing... he only cared about firebending.

He could hear the girl's footsteps getting closer. Grinning, he climbed the tree with ease clouding himself behind the bushes. He glanced at the waterbender from behind the branches thinking how he should strike first. As she walked around the carefully cared garden, he couldn't help but notice her eyes matched the blue flowers she had just stopped to take a closer look on. She continued trying to find him around the many bushes before she finally noticed the pond.

As she walked quickly near to what had once been the pond's surface, she grinned. Of course she thought it was funny... she loved getting people into trouble. He was sure she would deny him her help on trying to fix the messe he'd made. As she made her way near the tree he was hiding, touching the grass with her index finger, something else called his attention.

Through the glass window beside him he heard their voices. Tom-Tom and another man were making there way to the throne room. Before he could figure out the words they were saying he had already realised the tension in their voices.

"...The White Lotus think it will be soon... General Iroh was really worried, he asked me stop by The Under to check on news from Kyoshi Island..." he heard the man saying. "That's why I took longer than I thought..."

"Have they heard from them, Haru? I'm really worried about Ty Lee..." he recognized his uncle's voice

"I'm afraid they haven't... they are actually waiting for..." and their voices faded away.

His bones had just frozen in place. He couldn't move. General Iroh was worried... uncle Iroh was worried... his tea loving, always relaxed uncle was _worried_.

A shiver ran down his spine giving him goosebumps. His father had been lying to him. It _was_ a serious situation. And they didn't know what had happened to the Kyoshi Warriors... what if they were hurt? He could still see the huge smile printed on Ty Lee's funny face, her aura pinker than ever as she would say. He closed his eyes, his heart skipping a beat.

He had no right to keep this from him. If they were in danger, he had the right to know... and to help. He wanted to help Aang... he wanted to help the world regain peace, and his father wasn't going to stop him. But before he could move, he became aware of the person who had managed to climb the tree without him noticing.

"Think fast, flamethrower..." said a whisper in his ear, and the next thing he saw was darkness.

--

He opened his eyes with some effort adjusting them to the candle lit room. As he tried to focus on the ceiling, pain rushed through his head making him regret waking up. He couldn't make out the forms around him, they were all a big blur, so he closed his eyes again and the pain eased. He could feel his dry clothing and could smell the clean linen from his bed. He traied to swallow, but his throat was dry. He had probably been out for some time...

He concentrated trying to remember what had happened. He remembered his uncle and another man talking about the war, and then he remembered the voice. So he had finally been defeated by the waterbender.

"I think he's waking up" said a familiar woman's voice, as he felt her soft fingers caressing his forehead. "Are you alright, Urso?"

Yes, he was alright. He tried to tell her that, but couldn't find his voice.

"Um, mom? Maybe he needs some water? He has been out for the whole afternoon..." a boy's voice said. "I guess she finally beat you, didn't she?"

"Kano!" he heard a man's voice this time, and a light punch

"Ouch! Okay, okay, won't say it anymore..."

He felt the woman's hand around his neck, and a glass around his lips. He coughed a bit before he could swallow, as the liquid ran through his mouth and in to his throat. He had never thought water tasted so good.

He tried opening his eyes one more time. He could now focus on the woman's gentle features and her caring smile as looked at him affectionatly.

"Hi, aunt Suki..." he whispered, hoping the pain wouldn't return. He was supposed to be greeting them in his royal garment and over gament, and he was greeting them in bed while they had probably watched him for the previous hours hoping he wouldn't die.

"Hey, you..." her smile widened. "We were worried sick... how are you feeling?"

"Probably like hell..." said the boy's annoyed voice "Ouch! What? He looks like it..." he continued after he had heard the punching sound again.

"Sokka, could you please not do that to our son again?" said Suki glaring at her husband, then turning her eyes back at him "Look he's alright, so we probably should leave now... Zuko must want to speak to his son, alone." she told them, understandingly "Sleep tight, we'll see you tomorrow..." she told him kissing his forehead before standing up the bed.

Before he could say goodnight, he heard the three sets of footsteps leaving the room. So Tajah wasn't there. She should probably be crying thinking she had killed him. He smiled, than looked around for his father.

He was sitting on the chair next to his desk in the far corner with his eyes closed and resting his chin on his hands, his Royal attire making him imponent as always. He sighed as opened his eyes slowly before making his way to the spot where Suki had sat moments before. He looked tired as he laid his hand on his son's left shoulder. He had a carefully composed face, but Urso could see the worry behind his father's eyes.

"You hit your head pretty hard..." he started, squeezing his shoulder as to make sure he was there.

He could tell by his father's face how much his accident had worried him. He blinked twice before he could answer "I'm alright, dad..."

"I know you are..." he said nodding, a shadow of a smile crossing his tired features. Urso could see relief spreading through the Firelord. "I just had to talk to you and make sure..."

"Well, now you have..." he said, shifting himself to a sitting position and crossing his arms, closing his face.

His father frowned, letting go of his shoulder. He had surely known Tajah didn't have the abilities to drop him off a tree. He must have known something had happened. The candle light played around his father's scar as he raised his good eyebrow at him quizically.

"Would you care to explain to me what happened to the pond in the Royal Garden?"

"Sure. That is, if you would care to explain to me what's happening in the Earth Kingdom right now...Why didn't you tell me?" he glared at his father.

Zuko nodded briefly before burying his face in his hands. Urso could see he was trying to think of a way to turn things.

"I heard Tom-Tom and that man Haru talking... that's what made me fall in the first place, it wasn't exactly Tajah. She wouldn't even have hit me if I was paying attention to her, you know that, dad." he told Zuko, who still didn't move "Why didn't you tell me?" he repeated more fiercely.

"These are matters for adults, and although you don't like it Urso, you are still a child. I am your father, and therefore I decide what's best for you. And being worried about a situation that is under control is not what's best for you" he said, not moving a muscle.

Urso felt his temper rising.

"Under control? Uncle Iroh is worried! He is _worried_! _Uncle Iroh is_ _worried_!" he roared "And you haven't heard from the Kyoshi Warriors! I want to know if Ty Lee is okay!" he could feel the moisture forming in his eyes, as the pain returned to his head.

His father clearly didn't know what was best for him, keeping him locked up like a prisoner and always dodging his questions. He should have realized it before. Even after his intuition had told him they were nothing but a step away from war, he chose to believe his father would tell him the truth.

And now his mother's only friend... _his _friend could be hurt. And nobody cared to tell him.

"That's why they are here, isn't it? Aunt Suki and uncle Sokka... they are on their way to the Earth Kingdom, aren't they?" he asked his father more calmly, realizing the real reason behind Sokka and Suki's sudden visit.

Of course they were. Suki surely wanted to know what happened to her former group and she and Sokka would help their friends, unlike his father would.

Before knowing the truth about the whole mystery, he had thought highly of his father. He had trusted him above anyone else. But it turned out he was just a coward, hiding behind the walls of the palace like a scared rat.

"Aren't they?" he repeated the question.

"Yes" his father finally said, untying his royal bun and letting his untidy hair fall around his face. "They are going to the Earth Kingdom..."

Urso nodded. If Tajah and Kano were going to the Earth Kingdom to help Aang, so was he.

"I want to go with them..." he said, staring deeply into his Zuko's eyes.

Zuko merely raised his good eyebrow eyebrow again, before standing up.

"That is out of question" he said, walking slowly towards the door.

He opened his mouth to retort but before he could say anything his father continued.

"I think you should rest now, son. It's been a long day..." and he left.

Urso could feel the anger tears forming in his eyes as Zuko closed the door. He feared so much for Ty Lee. Not only for her, for the other Kyoshi Warriors, too. He didn't know them well, but they were pretty fun to be around. And Uncle Iroh was worried... that could never be a good sign.

Images of Ty Lee, the Kyoshi Warriors, Uncle Iroh, Aang and the rest of his friends filled his mind, as he sobbed harder than screamed into his pillow. The anger was incresing the pain in his head. He clutched the covers around him feeling sick. He tried to control himself by brething steadily and closing his eyes, it was as if their was a hammer in his brain.

As the pain decreased slowly, he bended the candles out, and looked from his bed out the window. The moon was shinning brightly, smiling at him, as the stars twinkled around it. He had heard Sokka's story about the moon spirit. She had been a corageous lady, giving her life to protect the world and the ones she loved. He would do anything in his power to convince his father that what he was doing wasn't right.

And deep down, he knew his father was already questioning himself that.

Hi There !

Soo, this is chapter one from Voyager in a Storm... Hope you guys liked it, so please let me know by reviewing? _Please?_

Poor Zuko! Trying to protect his son and being mistaken by a coward? But don't worry, he'll change his mind soon... or not P

Thanks for reading guys !

Zelda Fanatikah AKA Bee-Bee


	3. Interesting

Thanks reviewers

Disclaimer: Avatar and all it's characters belong to Mike and Bryan

**Voyager in a Storm**

**-Chapter 2: Interesting-**

**I**

He sighed. He couldn't believe he was still considering his son's words. He had thought about it the whole night and was unable to sleep, and the headache from the previous day persisted. He leaned against the tree like he had done so many times when he was younger, smiling as his eyes stopped on the burnt margin of the small pond.

He had been sure he was doing the right thing when he had thought about it overnight. They would stay in the Fire Nation and hold it together. But after his son had called him a coward that morning, Zuko's stomach had tightened and as much as he tried to shake the feeling away, he couldn't.

A coward.

That's what his son thought of him now. A man incapable of moving one muscle to help his friends, even if that meant leaving his Nation behind. The boy didn't understand. He had worked too hard to mantain peace in the Fire Nation, he couldn't just leave in the verge of a war, it was too risky. If there were rebels in the Earth Kingdom, there were certainly in the Fire Nation, too. He couldn't give them the chance to free Azula.

He shivered at that thought, closing his eyes and feeling the light breeze on his face. He inhaled deeply, touching the rough surface of his scar with his left hand, and placing his right one on his stomach where he felt his other scar beneath the soft cloth of his garment. Maybe he was a coward. Maybe he was wrong, and they did need him in the Earth Kingdom. He slowly opened his eyes as he heard the quacking of the young ducklings. The proud mother swimming around the little ones as they played in the water, ready to protect them at the slightest sign of danger.

Urso had got it all wrong, he wasn't a coward. He was selfish. That was the right word to describe him. He was being selfish in not wanting to go to the Earth Kingdom. He knew he wasn't staying in the Fire Nation only for the Nation's sake. But as he saw the bigger turtleduck so eager to protect the young ones, he asked himself if it was so wrong for a parent to want to protect his only son, even if that endangered the rest of his friends.

The mother turtleduck quacked louder as Zuko heard someone approaching. He looked at the source of the footsteps as the young teen walked towards him, unsure of how to ask him something. He looked at the mother turtleduck again, as she protectively forced the younglings back to the small opening inside the pile of rocks on the oposite margin of the pond.

"Are you here to try to convince me to go to the Earth Kingdom, too, Tom-Tom?" he asked him scratching his scar, gaze still fixed on the small opening of the turtleduck's nest.

"He asked me to, but I know better than to try to convince you of anything. Once you've made up your mind, that's what it's gonna be..." he told him matter-of-factly " No... I'm here to tell you Haru has left yesterday in the afternoon with his fleet taking your letter, I didn't have the chance to tell you with everything that happened to Urso... I'm sorry he overheard us." he added, apologetically.

"It's okay Tom-Tom, it wasn't your fault... I didn't tell him in the first place to avoid him wanting to go to middle of it all." he said calmly, finally looking at his brother-in-law as the boy started blowing his fringe. "What's the matter, Tom-Tom? That's not all, is it?"

"No it's not all... truth is... I'm here to tell you I'm going with Sokka and Suki." he spilled the words quickly, staring at the floor looking worried.

It had to be a nightmare. First Urso and now Tom-Tom. He cared for Tom-Tom as a brother, and he knew as much as he wanted to keep him safe, too, it wasn't in his power to do so. He would go if he wanted to, he wouldn't order him around. Zuko had made that clear ever since the boy had come to live in the Fire Nation.

"When did you decide that?" he asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice

"Yesterday... I spoke to Haru about the situation Zuko, they need all the help they can get. I understand why you can't go, but I feel like I have to. Particularly after what happened to the Kyoshi Warriors, I can't just ignore that! And my parents are in Omashu, I'm worried about them... you won't be able to stop me if you tell me you don't want me to go, but I would rather you say it's okay" he said looking at Zuko.

He looked like Mai almost as much as Urso did. The firelord placed his hands on the boy's shoulders, shaking him slightly.

"Of course it's alright... just... be careful"

The boy grinned at him, nodding, before he turned and started to leave.

Zuko looked around the carefully cared garden. He smiled as he remembered his mother playing with a baby Urso in the margings of the now spoiled pond, helping him feed the ducklings as she had once done with him. He pictured Aang's giant smile the last time he had been there as he and Toph competed who could make the best earth sculpture, the children would be the judges, and of course Toph would always win. He then saw Katara looking at them lovingly, the people she loved so much finally safe. She turned her gaze towards him, smiling softly, her blue orbs shining with delight. He was sure he belonged with them.

As he snapped back to reality, he felt a pang of guilt bursting in his chest. He was sure Aang would understand. He would probably think it was the right thing to do. Suki had thought it was a good idea, too, and so did Sokka. Toph would be annoyed by it, she loved teasing him, and he missed her the most, but she wasn't one who held grudges for a long time. But the reaction he worried the most about was Katara's... he had betrayed her once in Ba Sing Se, and had fought to conquer her trust again. And now he was betraying that trust.

Katara knew how to read people better than anyone he knew, except maybe his uncle. He could hide behind the excuse he was staying in the palace for the Fire Nation alone. Aang, Sokka, Suki and even Toph would accept that. But he knew Katara wouldn't. She would know that wasn't completely true, she would know he was staying to protect his son from danger. And although he knew she would never hold it against him, and although she would never admit it, she would feel betrayed by him again.

"Tom-Tom?" he called the boy, who was just crossing the entrance of the garden back to the palace.

The boy turned around questioningly as if asking if he had changed his mind about letting him go. He made his way towards the boy quickly, stopping right next to him.

"Can I trust you with a letter?" he asked the boy quietly.

"I thought you had already sent a letter to Aang with Haru yesterday..." the boy asked confused. "but sure, if you want to send another one, I'll take it" he shrugged.

Zuko nodded. "I'll have it ready by the time you leave... you should go get ready Tom-Tom" he said, following the boy as he walked out of the garden.

--

--

**II**

"So, you're not talking to uncle Zuko because you want to come with us, and he won't let you? You are such a kid Urso..." the girl told him as she played with the small drops of water.

"Whatever, Tajah..." he mumbled. Of course she didn't understand. She couldn't, she wasn't in his situation. She was going to the Earth Kingdom to see Aang, she couldn't care less about what he felt.

"Come on Urso, we promise to write!" Kano teased him, kicking his leg lightly.

He hadn't been able to sleep that night thinking of how he would convince his father to go to the Earth Kingdom. His head still ached from the fall the previous day, thanks to Tajah's sneak attack, and if it things couldn't get worse, the only company he had had, Tom-Tom, was going with Suki and Sokka to the Earth Kingdom.

He was in a horrible mood. He always ended up in a foul mood after his arguments with Zuko. And what didn't help him this time was he was feeling not only angered, but also guilty. He had called his father a coward. Not that he didn't think of his father as that, because he did. He was hiding inside the palace while his friends were out risking their lives for the world. But to voice his opinion like that, to call him a coward to his face, it was as if the wall of Ba Sing Se had fallen on top of him.

He had thought he would feel relieved to finally let his father know what he thought about him, but it had only made him feel worse. As if there was something inside him that didn't agree, but he didn't know why. He had regreted the words as soon as they came out. And even after all the acusations, Zuko had still decided to stay in the Fire Nation, and his friends would be leaving in a few moments.

They had been sitting on the floor of his room talking for most of the morning about the war. He had thought Kano and Tajah knew about it more than he did, and they did, but not as much as he thought they knew. After they tied the information they all had, they only knew three certain facts: the Kyoshi Warriors were missing, and they hadn't heard from the Island for some time; The rebels were preparing to attack, and would sure be doing that soon, and that had Uncle Iroh worried... that was never a good thing; And Tajah and Kano and their parents, and the rest of his friends, were all going to gather up in headquarters called The Under, though Tajah and Kano didn't know exactly what it was.

He looked at Tajah, who was still playing with the drops of water, bending them to ice and then back again, and making them dance around her hands' movements, her light blue eyes the same colour of the ice. She moved her gaze from the water to his face raising an eyebrow and then throwing the droplets of water at him.

"What's the matter with you, flamethrower? You're acting all strange..." she asked him as he patened his red tunic trying to evaporate the water.

"Here" said Kano, bending the water out, before he had the chance to dry himself "I don't want you burning your clothes in front of my sister..." he said, grinning as Tajah blushed

He exhaled fire. He really wasn't in the mood for Kano's teasing. He got up from the floor, running his fingers though his hair and made his way to his desk, looking at a painting of his parents that rested near scibbled parchment. He was sure that if his mother was around she would talk to Zuko and tell him that what he was doing was wrong, and that he should help his friends. But she wasn't. He had never met her. He was the reason his mother wasn't alive.

"Urso, are you okay?" Tajah asked worriedly.

If he looked the way he felt, he surely wouldn't be able to lie about it. He shifted on his stance running his finger through his hair again, thinking. Who could possibly convince his father that what he was doing was wrong?

There was a knock on the door and Suki emerged from the other side. She was dressed in her full Kyoshi Warrior uniform, face paint included. She looked beautiful. Urso had always imagined if his mother was still alive, if he had known her, if she would act towards him the way Suki acted with her children. Even strangers could tell she loved them very much.

But as Suki entered the room, he couldn't fight the feeling of dread that was taking over him. His friends would leave soon, and he would be alone again in his cage.

"Mom, you look beautiful!" Tajah squeeled, running towards her and hugging her. "Can't you paint my face? I want to look as pretty as you when I see Aang again" she pleaded, smiling brightly at the thought.

"You are a little too young, sweety..." Suki laughed, as Tajah's smile disapeared, disapointment showing on her face. "Everything's ready for us... let's get going?" she asked them, smiling.

"Are we taking the war balloons again?" asked Kano, excitedly. As Suki nodded, smiling, Tajah's face, which had had a healthy shade of pink, became instantly white.

"Ok Tajah... think about Aang, think about Aang..." she whispered to herself looking desperate, her breathing uneven as she blinked nervously.

Suki opened the door again so her children would leave the room and then she turned to look at him. He was staring at her, and by the serious look on her face as she looked at the floor, he could tell he looked really sad. She moved her gaze to his face again, smiling lovingly, as she did with her own children.

"Aren't you going to say goodbye?" she asked him sweetly.

"I'll be there in a minute, aunt Suki" he nodded, as he tried to keep his voice from sounding so broken.

She took a deep breath before nodding back and turning to leave. She glanced back at him before closing the door behind her.

He sighed.

He would probably see his friends again in a year...

His golden eyes flickered on the objects on top of his desk. Next to the picture of Zuko and Mai, on top of the scribbled piece of parchment, was a blue paper weight in form of a penguin. It had been given to him by Katara when he had first learnt to write. He remembered being completely taken by the stunning material it had been made of. She had explained it had been carved out of a rare gem waterbenders used to carve engagement necklasses, and she had carved it herself. It was the same material of the pendant she wore around her neck.

It was then, as he remebered Katara, her ice blue eyes and her caring smile, that something connected inside his head. Of course. It was as if he had figured out how to bend for the first time. If there was one person who could convince his father he was wrong, who could put some sense inside his head, it was her.

His heart hammered in his chest as a new hope grew inside him.

He needed to be fast, or they would leave without it. He opened the first drawer of his desk and pulled a yellow piece of parchment, laying it on top of it. He quickly got his quill and wrote the words as fast as he could, trying to spill ink while he did so. After he finished, he blew softly on the letter so the ink could dry faster, then carefully tied the scroll, and bursted out of the room.

That letter was certainly the last hope to convince his father of going to the Earth Kingdom. He always listened to what she had to say, and he always accepted her judgement. He smilled confidently, as he sprinted down the hallway towards the front gates of the palace. He was surprised he hadn't thought about that in the first place. Of course she would convince him to go.

As he arrived at the entrance of the palace, trying to catch his breath as he walked towards Kano, he shot his father a deadly glare.

Zuko just ignored him. He was saying his goodbye to Tom-Tom, and giving him directions on something. He didn't care, so he wouldn't waste his time trying to listen to their conversation. He quickly walked towards Kano, who stared dumbly at the war balloon in front of them. He shifted his gaze from the aircraft to him as he realised he was there.

"Hey, you look a little more cheery, what happened? Are you coming with us afterall?" he asked him as he elbowed his arm.

"Shh! Could you try to be more quiet, please?" he asked him, whispering "I need you to do something for me..."

His heart was racing in his chest. A smile he tried to hide playing in his face, enthusiasm bursting out of him. He knew as soon as that letter reached her hands, she would do something to help him.

"What is it Urso?" Kano whispered quizically "What's the plan? I sneak you in the war balloon?"

"I have thought of that, but as soon as they found out they would send me back..." he said as he handed him the scroll.

"What's this? A love letter?" he mocked him.

Urso sighed, trying not to roll his eyes. He considered taking the scroll back and giving it to Tom-Tom. But his uncle was clearly focused on his father's errands. Kano would have to do.

"Stop it, okay?" he cut him off "Take this to aunt Katara... and don't you dare loose it."

--

--

**III**

She wasn't sure.

When her daughter questioned her why Urso couldn't come with them and why she wouldn't attempt to convice Zuko, she had started thinking about it. After some time she asked herself what were the true reasons Zuko didn't want to leave the Fire Nation. And every single thought of hers reached only one conclusion.

But she couldn't understand that. If he was scared for Urso, and he wasn't telling them, why wouldn't he take his son to a place that was unreachable? The Under _was _unreacheble. Toph was the only one who could bend metal, or was she?

Yes, she was.

She shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind. She was doing the right thing for her children. She was protecting them in the right place. And she decided that her thoughts about Zuko staying in the Fire Nation to protect Urso didn't make any sense. He was staying for his country as he had said. And she agreed with him, and so did Sokka. She had no idea why she was giving it a second thought now.

She leaned over the water basin, throwing the warm liquid on her face. She closed her eyes as she felt the water running down her cheeks washing away the paint she had worn that morning. After repeating the action twice, she slowly opened her eyes and stared at her reflexion on the mirror opposite her. She couldn't recognize in that defeated face the warrior she really was, the fierce woman she had become. Her eyes flickered at the door as it creaked open, then quickly returned to examine the dark hollows under her eyes.

He walked towards the place she stood, the water from her face starting to drip down her clothes. His arms were cold in comparison with the bathroom temperature as they snaked around her waist. She could feel them even with the thick cloth of her Kyoshi outfit between their skin, the waind was probably fierce that night, maybe it would help them get their boat faster to the Earth Kingdom.

Her husband gently kissed the exposed base of her neck before resting his chin on her shoulder and smiling tiredly at their reflexion. Who would have have thought the first time they met she would end up married to him?

She smiled as she remebered teasing him, dressing him as a Kyoshi Warrior, claiming he didn't fight half as good as they did. Her reflexion frowned and she saw tears were forming in her dark eyes. Something really bad had happened to them... to her home. Her heart tightened in her chest, as she blinked and a silent tear ran down her pale cheek.

Sokka turned her around, embracing her, and she sobbed harder on his shoulder. She couldn't stop thinking about them. When she had been separated from the girls and locked in the Boiling Rock, she had known they were somewhere else. In prision too, but somehow safe.

This time things were diferent.

"It's fine... they are fine, you'll see..." he said as he caressed her cheek lightly, hugging her tighter.

"You don't know that..." she whispered. She had been acting confidently in front of her children for too long, and was just breaking completely for the first time since Kyoshi Island had failed to comunicate.

"Of course they are Suki... as soon as we get there Aang and I will go to Kyoshi Island and sort things out. We'll bring them all back to the headquarters, I promise you" he said consolingly.

"Don't promise what you don't know you can keep, Sokka!" she growled, punching his shoulder and struggling free "You don't know if their even alive! The information Haru had was that last he had heard, the rebels weren't keeping prisioners..." she continued angrily, as she walked out of the small, warm bathroom.

Of course Sokka was worried. He was worried about the girls too, but she knew he was mostly worried about her. She hadn't been acting like herself ever since she had heard about the comunication problems with her home.

She always held her chin up high as she always did, trying hard not to let her children see the distress she was in, she wouldn't want to worry them. She didn't want them to notice the hope she had always had was slowly dying inside her, as if something was telling her to expect the worse.

She could fool them with her act. But she could never fool her husband.

Sokka followed her out of the bathroom into their room. The wooden floor of the ship made a creaking sound as he walked towards her shaking form. He tried to hold her again but she dodged him and moved near the bed.

She sat on the edge of the cushions, running her fingers on the silky fabrics of her nightgown, which laid next to her pillow. Ty Lee had given her that nightgown. She smiled at the memory of the bubbly girl. She had also never thought that Ty Lee, the girl that once had been their enemy, the girl who had captured them with Azula during the war, would end up joining them.

There were a lot of things that had happened in her life she would have never imagined when she was younger.

"You can't loose hope, Suki... they are strong, they'll survive this..." he said as he sat beside her, sighing.

She eyed the razor fans that rested on the small table near the bed. Sokka was right. She wouldn't give up hope. Even if there was only the slightest possibility they were alive, she would hold that wish with all her strength.

She felt his hand tentatively running the line of her cheekbone, whiping the wetness out of her face. She closed her eyes holding his hand and kissing its rough palm.

"I'm sorry, Sokka..." she told him, as he cuddled her against chest. He held her like that caressing her hair, for what could have been hours.

She held tighter to her husband clutching his blue tunic as she tried to calm down. He kissed her left eye tenderly, and she couldn't help but smile. She was lucky to have Sokka. He helped her lay down on the soft sheets and laid beside her, facing her, so that their faces were only inches apart.

"Do you think we are doing the right thing?" she asked him, weakly, stroking his loose hair.

He tried to hide his worry, but his blue eyes didn't let him. He exhaled calmly. It was so strange to see Sokka trying to control his features in an attempt to make her less worried. If she wasn't worried she would probably be laughing at the unsuccessful outcome.

He hesitated before he answered.

"Yes Suki... we are helping our friends. That is the right thing to do. To fight for our freedom. I know you are worried about the kids' safety, I am too, but I assure you The Under is the safest place there is right now." he said, eyes locked with hers.

She nodded. That wasn't the time to have second thoughts about their decision. Kano and Tajah would be safe as long as they were with them, wherever they were. She knew that either her or Sokka would give their lives for their children if needed.

"Everything is going to be fine... I never promise something I can't keep, Suki, and I promise you... everything is going to be fine" he told her fiercely, looking intently into her eyes, his sapphire orbs burning all her doubts.

Her heart eased and hope spread inside her as Sokka cupped her face in his hands capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. She grasped his hair as he let go of her face and pulled her body closer to his.

They were going to conquer peace again, she knew it.

--

--

**IV**

"Alright, I'm coming with you..." she told him in her bossy tone, hands on her hips while raising her eyebrow at him.

He sighed.

In many ways she still treated him like a child. It didn't matter that they had been in a relationship twice, it didn't matter that he now towered over her, and it didn't matter that he was the avatar. Her motherly insticts would never cease.

"What do I get in return if I agree?" he asked her teasingly, though he was sure that if she pressed him too much, she would end up getting what she wanted.

"Ha ha ha" she started in annoyance "It isn't funny Aang! You had agreed to wait for Sokka... you said you two were going together!"

He sighed again.

Katara, Katara, Katara. He should have acted on his instincts and sneaked out without her knowing as he had originally planned. He had to deal with her now that he had woken her up and explained his dream to her.

"But Kyoshi hadn't asked me to help them back then... she said I must go now Katara..." he said, remembering Avatar Kyoshi's every word.

"Then... I'm coming with you, and that's the end of it!" she stormed, fire in her blue eyes as she glared at him.

"No, you're not." he told her calmly "You are staying here. Soon Sokka and Suki will be arriving and you'll need to guide them from Omashu"

It had been decided that Katara would be the one to guide her brother's family to the headquarters and he had decided to go with her, worried about her safety. But Kyoshi Island was in need of him and so she would have to do it alone. His stomach turned at the thought of her being caught by the rebels, and he shrugged.

"Someone else can go..." she told him decidedly.

"You would let your brother, sister-in-law, your niece and nephew being guided by someone else? What if they need a master bender with them?" he asked her raising and eyebrow questioningly.

He knew this was his chance to make her give up on the absurd idea of Kyoshi Island. He knew that was cheating, but as long as it convinced her that she should go meet her brother instead of going with him, it was worth it.

"Well... if they need a master bender, they'll have the Firelord I guess..." she said, unconviced of staying.

"Oh! Haven't I told you? Zuko's not coming..." he smiled apologetically as he scratched his bald head. "He thinks it's best for him told hold things together at the Fire Nation... he's worried about rebels trying to free Azula..."

She blinked twice, as the words sunk in. She hugged herself, leaning against Appa's furry side, breathing deeply, disapointment showing on her face as she nodded once.

Her sapphire-like eyes closed and she rubbed her temples with one hand as she thought. Her dark brown hair was braided as it used to be when he first met her, and she wore her water tribe tunic. He couldn't but notice she seemed tired. Everyone was tired those days. Tired and Worried.

He missed her so much. After the war, they had started a relashionship that didn't last long, as Katara returned to the Southern Water Tribe to help Master Pakku as he transformed it and it beacame even more beautiful than the Northern Water Tribe. He had missed her back then, but he knew they were only separated for a matter of time. And when they saw each other again on Sokka's wedding to Suki, he still remembered how dazzling she looked with her hair tied up in a bun and dark blue robes, they had started from where they had stopped.

Until Katara had ended their relationship again.

He had been devastated. She claimed that she loved him, but she wasn't _in love _with him anymore. He had tried to convince her that she was just confused, because that was what she had been back then. Of course she was in love with him. After everything they had been through, after planning their future together, after they promised each other nothing would ever come between them. But he knew deep inside him that she needed time.

They were very young at that time. And though they weren't together anymore, they had kept their promises that nothing would come between them. They had never been parted again, even after that day. She would always travel with him and help him in whatever he needed, and so would Toph. Truth was, he had never lost hope that they would be together again.

"So I'm guessing Aang's not going to have the honour of your presence on his trip afterall, right, Sugar Queen?" said the earthbender, who he thought had been sleeping for the past hour, bringing him back to reality.

"And I had thought you were sleeping..." he told Toph, as she emerged from Appa's head, where she had been sleeping or he had thought she was.

"Oh, please... how can anyone sleep with your arguments? You guys should learn how to lower the volume of a conversation like this... I wouldn't be surprised if the rebels had found the location of the Under thanks to you..." she said as jumped down from the bison and landed next to him. She bended a metal ball out of the floor and kicked it. "So... Zuko's not coming? That sucks..."

He nodded in agreement. If Zuko had come, he wouldn't worry about Katara being the only one to protect Sokka's family in case it was needed. It wasn't like they could send a lot of people, it was supposed to be low profile. He moved his eyes from Katara, who had now opened her eyes and was staring at Toph, to the younger woman beside him, who had become an inch taller than the waterbender.

Toph, who was dressed in clothes that resembled Suki's Kyoshi Warrior ones, except hers had shorts instead of a skirt and no war paint on her pale face, didn't seem or sounded worried like everyone else. The only thing that clouded her glassy eyes was boredom. Since she was the only metal bender, it was up to her to control the entrance of The Under, and ever since she had created it, she hadn't left the place. Sometimes she would go out and walk around the surface, but she was frequently needed and so those surface trips were rare.

He worried about her. Toph wasn't the kind of person that liked being locked up in one place. She had clearly shown them that when she ran away from home on order to help him, teaching him how to earthbend. But The Under had been her idea, and she knew it was for their safety.

"Why isn't Zuko coming again?" Toph asked, scratching her head absentmindly

"You heard him, Toph..." Katara shot at her before walking towards him. "Fine, I'll stay Aang... happy?" she said crossing her arms.

"Yeah sure... I'm gonna ask Haru to go with you, I don't like the idea of you going to Omashu alone..." he told her protectively.

Katara stared at him in disbelief as Toph burst in laughter.

"I'm a master waterbender, Aang!" she snapped at him "I'll be fine... It's you I'm worried about, you shouldn't be going alone" she added.

"He's the avatar, silly, here to spread joy and fun..." Toph mocked him "Sorry, couldn't resist, Twinkle toes" she added before laughing again.

"I know you can't see, Toph, but I'm giving you a death glare right now" he told her, annoyed. At least one of them was having fun. Toph grinned at him before giving him a one arm hug.

"Take care, Aang. Try not to do anything you would do with me" she told him as she let go and he smiled slightly at the memory of Toph's schemes.

He turned to look at Katara who was bitting her lower lip and still had her arms crossed. He locked gazes with her. She was scared for him. If he wasn't as worried about her safety, her saddened look would have made him ask her to come with him. But he knew this was something for the Avatar to do alone.

Before he could think, he took Katara's face between his hands and kissed her. She pulled back, eyes moving to the floor, as she shifted uncomfortably on her feet.

"Aang, I..." she started, but he cut her of by placing his index finger on her lips. Her blue orbs returned to his face, moisture forming in them.

"It's just in case" he whispered, grinning.

Her brows furrowed and she blinked a single tear before she hugged him tightly.

"I don't like when you talk like that" she said against his chest.

He hugged her back and caressed the base of her neck tenderly. He could feel the fabric of his clothes getting wet because of her tears, but he didn't care. He loved to have Katara in his arms, it was where she belonged. They belonged together, and he was sure they would be together in the end.

"Arram... I'm kind of... here... guys" Toph murmured "I can't see... but I kind thought you guys knew my feet can by now..."

Katara let go of him whipping her wet face with the back of her sleave before looking at him again.

"I'll be back before you know" he said before he bended the air beneath him and landed on Appa "I'm ready, Toph"

With a quick movement, the earthbender opened the ceiling above them to reveal a cloudless sky. The stars shown above him as he patted Appa's head and the bison stood up. Katara and Toph walked back in order to look at him. He was still lost in the waterbender's eyes when he looked at the full moon shinning brightly.

"Appa, yip yip!" he finally called

He would be back. If only to look into those eyes and kiss those lips one more time. Katara would give in, he knew it. They would be together again, where they both belonged. And he would be the happiest man in the world.

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**V**

Excellent.

She heard and felt the rock crushing at the metal wall beside her before she sat on the floor of her masterpiece. He feet had never seen something so wonderful. Of course, it was no surprise to her she was a genius, or to her friends. Sokka was incredibly proud of her in his letter, she couldn't wait to see him and his son, they would want to know exactly how everything in The Under worked.

Things would definetly be more fun around their headquartes with the family's arrival. Katara had left the previous day, it shouldn't take them much time to get there. It wouldn't be as fast as planned since Aang had taken Appa, but it wasn't like The Under was that far from Omashu anyway.

Soon she wouldn't be bored anymore. She only wished Zuko would have come with them. She missed her friend more than anything. Zuko had always been the more fun to tease since it was in his soul to take every single thing seriously. She truly enjoyed driving him crazy. Though Katara still held the record of angriest person alive when it came to teasing.

Staying in the Fire Nation for the Fire Nation. Yeah right. She knew him too well, and she certainly could tell a lie from the truth. She shook her head. He was trying to protect his son, she knew it. Except he was doing it in the wrong place. She would write to him when she had the chance, or maybe she wouldn't. Maybe writting to him would only make matters worse. Once the Firelord made up his mind, trying to change it was a waste of time. It was easier for him to convince himself in time.

She sighed.

At least she would have company in The Under. It annoyed her to stay locke in the metal abode the whole day, and since she was the only one who could allow people in and out, she had no choice. She hadn't thought about back when she had had they idea for the headquarters, she had only thought of her friends safety, and it really was all that mattered to her.

She kicked another rock and felt it being stopped by the person who had just walked in her room. The girl bended the rock safely towards the floor landing it softly on the metal beside a smaller rock.

"Good job, kid... I've been training you well" she said, grinning at the teen as she walked slowly towards her. The girl was tiny for her age but was very powerful.

"Thank you, master Toph..." the girl said, shyly, sitting beside her. Toph could hear the girl's heart hammering in her chest and her fast breathing.

She still couldn't believe that girl, sitting beside her, had been delivered by Katara before she had even joined them. She still couldn't believe Katara had convinced her to be the girl's earthbending master after running into her parents one day and they told her the girl had earthbending abilities. It turned out there was nothing the Sugar Queen couldn't do.

"Something wrong, Hope?" she asked her pupil.

The girl had always been careful with her emotions around people. But no one could lie about their emotions to her. The girl was tense.

"Shouldn't Katara had come back already?" she questioned her, an edge of worry touching her voice.

"They'll be arriving tomorrow... don't worry, I'm sure they are fine..." she told the girl patting her knee. "I hear Tom-Tom's coming with them..." she added casually.

Hope's heart skipped a beat and she smiled to herself. Right guess than... it could've been Kano.

"I don't know what you're talking about, master Toph... Tom-Tom and I are just friends..." she told her instantly, getting up. Hope knew better than to stay and be questioned by her, even if it was a poor attempt of keeping her crush on Tom-Tom a secret.

"Don't worry, I won't say a thing!" Toph shouted after her as she ran out of the room.

That was going to be more fun than she'd thought it would be. With Hope's crush on Tom-Tom, Katara and Aang's awkward moment before he left, Tajah's funny attitude towards Aang, and of course, Kano's teasing to help her own, it would definetly be more fun than the previous weeks in The Under.

Interesting... very interesting...

Grinning to herself and in a much better mood than she had been in a long time, she young woman got up from the metal floor and made her way out of her rock decorated room.

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Hey Guys !!

So... I'm not sure about this chapter... I kind of feel like it's a little rushed, what do you guys think ?

I hope you guys liked it anyway, and I hope you review... yes, please review! It will only take 5 seconds of your time and you'll make a person extremely happy today

Please Please Please Review, Please!

Thanks for reading,

Zelda Fanatikah AKA Bee-Bee


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